Friday Afternoons Aren't Meant for Detention
by Paxa.Romana
Summary: Weekends are supposed to celebrate the end of the long week. This should apply to everyone, right? So why must an unlucky seven suffer through an afternoon of Ms. Darbus?
1. Part One

Friday Afternoons Aren't Meant for Detention

A Fiveshot by Desireé Lemmon

Setting: East High; Albuquerque, New Mexico

A/N: I just thought of this while writing my story, Wishful Thinking and Thoughtful Wishing. Just for fun! The movies never happened in this story. Only the characters remain the same at the high school (with a little bit of exaggeration). -love- Desireé

Part One, The Arrivals

The weekends were there to make the weeks look even worse than they were. The weekend was the celebration that the week was over, and you had about two and a half days of happiness ahead of you. Unfortunately, this was not true for a certain unlucky seven people.

The first of the unfortunate bunch was arguing with her mother in front of the school, leaning into the minivan's shotgun window. "Mother!" the new girl said indignantly. "You don't understand, it wasn't my fault! Evidently Mrs. Wallace is extremely prudent about punctuality, and I offered to help a freshman who dropped his books! She doesn't understand that _charity_ is a good thing because she never helps _anyone!_"

The woman checked her watch and clicked her tongue. "Well, I just hope this is the only punishment you receive, _pobrecita_," Theresa told her daughter. The girl rolled her eyes. Her mother seemed to always find the worst nicknames in her most trying times—this afternoon happened to be the unflattering 'poor baby.' "Call me and I shall pick you up, _sí_?"

Sighing softly, the girl nodded. "_Sí_, mama." She stood back and watched the minivan drive away, disappearing around the corner. The girl let her tongue slip as she muttered, "Bitch."

…

The hotshot looked despairingly at the school building in front of him. His father sat in the family Range Rover that was parked in front of the boy, quite disgruntled. It was not to the man's happiness that he had wasted ten minutes to drive here, only to learn his son had obtained detention. "Can't you get a ride home from Laura Danforth?" he whined.

The boy looked at his father, just as cross. "No," he snapped. "I told you, Chad's walking home after this. His parents are out of town."

Jack frowned and looked out the windshield. The sun was already beginning to descend, casting shadows everywhere. "Fine," he eventually said. "Your mother won't be happy—"

"Is she ever?" the son interrupted under his breath.

"—but it looks like we can't do anything about it," the man finished, ignoring his son's remark. "I'll come to pick you up at six, right?"

"I guess. I don't know how long Ms. Darbus will hold us, but it seems like she's got some props that need painting," the hotshot replied casually.

A grumble coming from his throat, Jack turned the car keys in the ignition and the engine came to life. "I don't suppose I could call Matsui and wiggle you out of this," he tried with little hope in his voice.

"You're too slow, dad," the boy replied. "I already tried at lunch." He nodded goodbye as the Range Rover drove away, leaving him in an awful something that rivaled the desert.

…

His parents probably could have cared less had they actually been home. They were somewhere in Europe right now; his mother had claimed it was some sort of 'cleansing road trip' in which he could not participate. When the slacker asked why in a snobby tone, she tapped his nose and replied, "That's why." His father had promised to take lots of pictures and bring back a miniature Eiffel Tower or perhaps a beach towel with the Mona Lisa on it. But promises, as always, would be broken so he didn't expect much.

According to the law, he couldn't be left alone, as he was still seventeen. But he had protested when his mother offered to call Andrea, his cousin, and stay for the two weeks that they would be gone. "I'll be eighteen by the time you get back," he had pointed out. Mr. Danforth had nodded.

"He's right, Laura," the man said, patting her arm.

"Fine," the woman sighed dramatically. They left later that evening, on a nonstop flight to Düsseldorf. Their slacker son waggled his fingers from the door when their taxi drove off, smiling at the next fourteen days to himself.

Of course, he hadn't planned on Miriam Darbus landing him in a Friday afternoon detention. East High had a quite pompous agenda, and recently detentions on Fridays had become more and more popular. He grumbled as he wandered through the school halls, killing time before he was banished to the auditorium. "Kill me now," he mumbled, kicking an empty soda can down a flight of stairs.

…

"Yes, Mother, I understand," the valedictorian (in training, of course; she had seven months until graduation actually _came_) spoke into the school pay phone. She leaned over and pressed the water fountain button, quenching her thirst. "No, of course not. I was quite irrational and I left my Palm Pilot on in my bag, and it beeped in history class. Mr. Easley doesn't like giving out detentions, but he felt it was necessary to 'wake me up for the new year.' I accepted it graciously and told him I understood very well. I think he liked that." She smirked to herself.

On the other line, Selma McKessie exhaled patiently. "Why, honey, did you do such a thing? Don't you realize detentions go on your permanent record?" she asked, her voice steady.

The girl rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Of _course_ I realized that, Mother. You act like I don't speak a word of English and _haven't_ memorized the school's regulations hand book." She waited a moment to see if her mother would respond. She didn't. "But I didn't think a detention would hurt—one little smudge on my otherwise flawless file? Besides, I couldn't be a _complete_ paragon of perfection; that would be just unfair to everyone, not to mention intimidating."

This Selma would not debate. "All right. Just get it over with as soon as you can, and make sure you're the good child there. Ms. Darbus hates a layabout," she dictated.

"Yes, yes," the girl replied peevishly. "Goodbye, Mother."

…

A Lexus pulled up to the campus again, with two blond teenagers in the back. Their mother sat in the passenger seat, talking on her cell phone as the children whispered back and worth. "You aren't really going to start calling yourself a thespian?" the girl murmured as she picked at a hangnail.

The boy grimaced. "Why not? You're a drama queen. I think, as your brother, I deserve some sort of title, too."

"How about Dork?" she giggled. He narrowed his eyes.

"You're funny," he said scornfully. Folding his arms, the fair-skinned boy turned to look out the window.

His sister smirked softly and tugged on his arm. "Oh come on, you big baby," she said, jabbing his sides with her pointed fingernails. "You know I was kidding."

"You were not," he replied with a frown, still turned toward the window.

She sneered, "Fine, maybe I wasn't. But I never was in the past either, and that never kept you from talking to me for more than a minute." She glanced at her cell phone. "And… It's been a minute!"

He didn't budge.

"Ugh, you're _impossible_."

He smiled. "Funny, I hear people say that about you all the time."

She now folded her arms like his were and widened her eyes, offended. "And you say I'm harsh! Gosh, you're no fun anymore," she groaned.

"What do you mean _anymore?_"

"Ever since you started liking Kelsi—"

"I do not like her!"

"—you act all serious and composed," the drama queen finished, making a face. "Whatever happened to being the fabulous Evans duo?"

Before he could answer, their mother turned around, resting her phone on her shoulder. "You two are still here?" She frowned. "I don't need either of you getting another detention; especially on a weekend. Go!"

They scooted out the door, as the thespian boy mumbled, "We wouldn't have had to bear that conversation with her if you just could have stayed in your other outfit today."

She smiled. "Well, like you said, I'm a drama queen."

…

"Yeah, Dad," the songwriter agreed softly. She was using the office phone after Petra Grady chucked her cellular into the school's fountain. The cheerleader had faked regret before walking away and laughing. The girl had shrugged it off as Sharpay glowered at the cheer squad. "It was a cheap Motorola anyway," she had said.

The office clerk hummed some annoying tune that sounded odd and uneven to the beat of her typing. Mrs. Byrd rolled her chair across the two feet of space her office area had to retrieve a piece of paper, before rolling back to her computer. The girl turned away, cupping her hand over the phone. "I know, I'm really sorry. I didn't think anyone would see me running to class. Maybe we can see a movie tomorrow?" She knew this wouldn't happen, though there was still some eagerness in her words.

"Maybe," Marshall Nielsen replied. He knew tomorrow would be packed with work; that Friday was the only available day off for the next three weeks.

"Happy birthday, Dad," the girl said earnestly to her father.

"Thanks, honey."

…

The auditorium was nearly empty except for Ms. Darbus and the young boy that always seemed to be following her around (apparently his watch was a necessary prop for the teacher to have on hand). "Ah, the first maverick," she said snobbishly as the slacker Chad Danforth nonchalantly cruised in. "You're early."

"I didn't have anything better to do," he replied.

"Hm," she said, uninterested.

Another five minutes passed. Two forty-five. Detention would start in fifteen minutes. The next student walked in, proudly striding down the aisle. "Good afternoon," she greeted the air.

"Taylor McKessie, I would never expect to see you here," Ms. Darbus said with some feigned shock in her voice.

"It's unfortunate," Taylor sighed, "but it slipped my mind that my Palm Pilot was in my bag." As if this happened to her often, Ms. Darbus nodded and returned to her paperwork.

The Evans twins sauntered into the room next, Ryan trudging behind his sister uneasily, trying not to step on her heels. "Ah, Sharpay," the teacher said grandly. She European-kissed, cheek to cheek, each sibling before asking what they had done.

When Sharpay had skipped class, Ryan had been late three times, which was three times too many according to their Honors English teacher. "Well, I'll need you two experts to direct the ignorant ones here," Ms. Darbus instructed lowly. Sharpay nodded and smiled to no one in particular.

Next was Troy, the basketball hotshot. "Bolton," Ms. Darbus barked. "What a surprise." The tone of her voice told everyone it wasn't much of a surprise. He hid an eye roll before parking it next to Chad, who high fived him with a 'go rebellion' grin.

After Troy was Gabriella, the new girl, who hurried in, disquieted. "Am I late?" she asked. No one answered. She pursed her lips and checked the watch of the boy who stood beside Ms. Darbus. Two fifty-seven. Three minutes left.

"Aren't we expecting one more?" Ms. Darbus asked. She checked her list. "Kelsi Nielsen?"

Sharpay looked at her brother with a grin. "Hey, your girlfriend is gonna be here."

"She is not my girlfriend," Ryan hissed.

"Uh huh," was the drama queen's reply.

With thirty seconds to spare, Kelsi burst through the auditorium door, her face red and puffy. "I would ask what is wrong, Ms. Nielsen," the teacher said curtly, "but that would mean I would have to care just what is so upsetting, and I'm not that good of an actress." She turned on her heel, her back to a horrified Kelsi. Gabriella yearned to reach out and comfort her, but she was new and still had yet to even make an acquaintance with someone.

"It seems we have everyone here," Ms. Darbus continued, eyeing the seven delinquents before her. "Shall we begin?"


	2. Part Two

A/N: Okay, since I got so much positivity with the first part, I'll update tonight. :) I'm trying to think of where to put everything (I've got scenes and conversations in my head already) so this might turn into a fourshot… -love- Desireé

charlieh07- I love that word 'comeuppance.' I think I've read it before, but now I know its official definition. Yay! Anyway, Ms. Darbus will get her dues soon. :)

naley4eva93- I've actually tried my hand at Troypay writing a few times and found I fail miserably at it. My apologies! But this story won't be my usual Chaylor, either…

Part Two, The Punishment

While Ms. Darbus droned on about their servitude for the next four hours (blech), Gabriella thought of synonyms for the word 'delinquent' which the teacher had now used four times. Wrongdoer… Lawbreaker… Vandal… Offender… And her favorite: punk. A giggle escaped her mouth against her will and everyone looked over at her. The broad blond woman standing before them glared. "Something funny, Ms. Montez?" she demanded, tapping her pointed loafer against the ground so a loud echo bounced off the auditorium's walls.

Her face pink, Gabriella shook her head profusely. "No, ma'am," she said quickly, her head rushing with thoughts. She had been at school for two weeks, and already she had been in trouble twice! East High teachers all had sticks up their—

"Good," Ms. Darbus said firmly. She turned back to everyone and continued her rant. Sharpay was picking at her hangnails again. God, she needed a manicure _badly_. The last one she had was over a month prior, and that simply couldn't remain so for much longer. Her thumb throbbed as she ripped a piece of skin away, and she bit her lip until the pain eased. Beside her, Ryan was drumming a beat on his thigh, his fingers moving up and down, one by one, like soldiers in a line. She tried to think of what tune was playing in his head, until that obnoxious girl Taylor's voice pierced her ears.

"We must paint all these props?" she inquired. Sharpay saw a notebook rested in her lap, and a pen was poised in her fingers. The drama queen sighed. What a goody two shoes.

With a nod, Ms. Darbus walked proudly around a wooden stand that seemed to slightly resemble a Hanukkah dreidel. She ran her fingers along the edge and beamed for a moment. "Every one of these props also has a key taped to the corner—yes, Mr. Danforth?"

Slightly confused, Chad stared for a moment before finally asking, "A key? Like something that unlocks stuff?" Taylor scoffed and rolled her eyes, while Kelsi giggled slightly and Sharpay smirked. Gabriella seemed to be paying attention to Troy.

"_No_, Mr. Danforth," Ms. Darbus replied impatiently. "A key, as in—yes, Ms. McKessie?"

Lowering her hand, Taylor smiled softly as if waiting for the imaginary applause to die down. "The definition of the type of key you are referring to is 'an explanatory list of symbols used in a map, table, et cetera.'" She waited, perhaps for more thunderous clapping, but nothing came except the smacking of someone's gum.

"Thank you, Ms. McKessie," Ms. Darbus sighed. She turned to the rest of the stage to view the bare items. "Anyway, as I was saying, all these props have a key taped to the corner, with a basic sketch of what should be painted which color. Paint cans have been opened and neatly set up along either wall. Don't mix the paint—if something needs to be blended, retrieve a paper plate from the backroom. Mixing paint in the cans will result in another detention for destruction of school property."

There were a few more eye rolls which the teacher pretended not to see as she checked her time boy's watch again. "Well, I'm off to a meeting. I should return around six forty-five at the latest, and I expect you all to be finishing up," she instructed.

"Wait," Taylor called, and Ms. Darbus turned. The student hesitated slightly. "You aren't—you aren't going to stay here?" Sharpay swatted her arm subtly with a menacing look as if to say _Are you crazy, geekwad_?

The woman shook her head. "No, unfortunately I can't stay; the meeting is mandatory for all faculty," she explained, before disappearing out the side door which clearly read 'emergency exit.' No alarm went off, but Chad jumped up and brushed off his butt, as if he had just sat on a pile of dust.

"Glad that's over," he muttered. Troy stood up, a little more gracefully, and looked around. Chad blew a bubble with his gum. Taylor frowned. So he was the culprit. "God, I thought she'd _never_ leave."

Her legs dangling off the side of the stage, Kelsi stared sullenly at the ground. Ryan braced himself before crawling over beside her. "You all right?" he asked quietly, hoping his sister wouldn't notice his offer of kindness. To his later dismay, she did.

"Oh, I'm fine," Kelsi half-assured him. He didn't reply, which gave her the indication that he knew something was wrong. "It's just—today's my dad's birthday, and he actually got the day off today from his boss who usually never gives days off to his staff. And we were planning on going out to dinner and everything but… I was late to class, so I was running in the hallway. Mademoiselle Granger saw me and gave me a detention! I explained I couldn't do it today, but she wouldn't push it into next week." There were sniffles and Ryan saw shine on Kelsi's cheeks. He had the urge to hug her, but that probably would have been too awkward.

Across the stage, Taylor was observing the paint cans. Chad knelt down beside her and grinned. "Have we met before?" he asked, his eyes glistening with slight merriment.

"I would think so, we have four class periods together, Danforth," she replied brusquely. When she didn't add anything, Chad pressed further.

"Well, I must have a bad memory. Maybe we can take the time to get to know one another," he said with a sly grin. This was the final straw for Taylor.

"You can maybe get to know yourself a little better, Mr. Danforth," she snapped with a fury he would have never expected from her, "and hope it's in you to change and treat women a little better. I've seen you in the hallways with Annie Maxwell and Lola Thompson, don't think you can add me to your list of 'gotten goodies' like you do with practically every other female at East High!" Her eyes like slits, she stood up and marched away. Chad was hot on her heels.

He leaned into her. "Come on, just one date," he suggested, his body an inch apart from hers.

Dismissing this absurd proposition, Taylor clenched her jaw for a moment before bitterly replying, "Even if I would give you so much as a second glance, Mr. Danforth, I wouldn't have time to date, anyway. There's quite a lot on my plate right now, and useless relationships aren't one of them!"

Slumping over to sit beside Troy, Chad was now brooding. His friend chortled slightly. "Ouch. Burned by a techie. That's rough," the hotshot said with a grin. The slacker sent him a choleric glare before returning to his personal sulking bubble.

"Hey, who's that girl over there?" Troy's voice was a whisper and he tilted his head over at the dark-haired girl, Gabriella. "I haven't seen her around her much, she's new, right?"

"Yeah," Chad replied, "That's Gabriella. She moved here from San Francisco, I think. Her mom's some journalist. What, you into her?"

Color flashed across Troy's face. "No—" he said, his sentence stopping short. "I just—I didn't know her. I thought I'd introduce myself later. It must be hard being the new kid." Chad laughed, doubtful of the other's alibi. Troy rolled his eyes and turned away, using it as an excuse to get a good look at the Gabriella girl. She was quite pretty, with long black hair and soft features. A minute passed and she turned to meet his gaze, before he quickly passed off the stare as an examination of the light switch above her head on the wall. Gabriella felt herself vaguely smile.

"Guys, it's already three-thirty," Taylor announced, although she had the feeling that no one was listening. "We should start painting now, otherwise Ms. Darbus won't be happy."

"Ew," Sharpay groused. "Why not just stick our feet in cement buckets and chuck us into the Hudson river? That death would be much quicker." Ryan smiled softly and Kelsi even forced a grin, despite the fact that no one else was amused. Gabriella's eyes were still glued to Troy, whose glance seemed to be everywhere _but_ Gabriella. Chad was still moping, picking at a piece of lint on the stage.

Defeated, Taylor picked up a paint can and a brush with her face twisted in annoyance. "Fine," she said angrily, "I'll just paint myself. But don't believe for one moment any of you will get credit for it. Some other brainiacs may allow that but I certainly _won't_."

"We got it, Einstein," Sharpay replied, causing a smile to appear on Chad's face. The drama queen winked at him, before turning away in panic. Did she just wink at a jock? Oh, someone shoot her.

A few minutes passed before Gabriella stood up, searching the vast room for any sign of entertainment. "I'm bored," she announced. Troy finally looked at her and grinned softly; she grinned back.

"Join the club," Ryan moaned, tilting his hat upward so he could see a little better. Kelsi had convinced him she was okay, and wanted to mourn on her own. Though this was slightly offending, he accepted and turned back to the rest of the hoodlums.

There was a pause as Gabriella tried to think of what they could do for the next three and a half hours. "I say we play freeze tag," she said. Sharpay snorted.

"What are we, five?" she jeered, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Ordinarily, Gabriella would resign and slink back to her spot against the wall, but she was much to anxious now. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the vanity," she muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. Troy burst out in a fit of laughter and Sharpay's eyes widened with anger.

"How dare you!" she screeched, shaking a finger at Gabriella. These words, though, were the only ones she could summon. Shock paralyzed your ability to think for a while. Finally, the drama queen concluded, "I'm Sharpay _Evans!_ You're a new girl! You're nobody! How could you possibly speak to me that way?"

A smile threatening to disrupt her serious attitude-y face, Gabriella put her hands on her hips. "Gosh, you must be so much fun at parties," she said with a leer. Chad joined Troy's laughter, both of the boys rolling along the edge of the stage, clutching their sides.

"Ugh, I hate newbies," Sharpay hissed, turning away and taking a spot beside Kelsi, her arms crossed. Gabriella smiled triumphantly and, much to her surprise, had enough courage to sit beside Troy. He looked at her for a moment.

"Hi," was his eventual salutation.

"Hi," she replied. "I'm Gabriella." She smiled.

He smiled back. "I'm Troy."

Now that his best friend had found love, Chad was alone. He glanced around. Taylor was steaming next to the dreidel, painting it brown with a very ineffective brush. Dry chocolate-colored marks streaked the wood, and she was getting more and more irritated by the second. He looked towards the Evans twins and their lackey, Kelsi. Ryan had his arm around the third, and his sister was glaring at the emergency exit, as if willing it to go off and make the afternoon worth the trouble of going home to change outfits and returning to the campus. Chad scooted over to Sharpay so his knees bumped into her calf. "Looks like we're the only ones who aren't in love," he told her.

"I thought you were with that overbearing McKessie girl?"

"It didn't really work out."

"I don't blame her."

"Ouch."

"They don't call me the Ice Queen for nothing."

"Who is they?"

"The general student population."

"The general student population, if I remember correctly, refers to you as drama queen, not ice queen."

"Potato, puh-tah-toe, the same difference." She shrugged and, for the first time during the conversation, looked into his eyes. They were big and glassy, like the kind of marbles she used to arrange neatly across her carpet on rainy days, purely for fun. Fun. That was something Sharpay hadn't had in a long time, and she was an _Evans_. An Evans had everything.

"So, you want to try it?" His mouth hinted a smile.

She cocked a professionally plucked eyebrow. "Try what?"

"Well, your bro has the piano girl, and Troy's got Gabriella now. Since Taylor and I are pretty much ka-put, you and I are the remaining people without an established relationship."

Smiling, Sharpay looked up at the ceiling. "I don't believe I see any established relationships here."

He leaned into her, his lips brushed against her ear as he said, "Not yet."


	3. Part Three

A/N: Okay, first things first. I am going to change this into a fiveshot. -fixes first chapter- Yes, I know, a little excessive, but I'm paying homage to a slight friendship between Troy and Sharpay in honor of naley4eva93. And secondly, as you can see, this has some Chadpay in it. It's my new obsession. Since this is my first attempt at writing Chadpay, I don't know if it shall ever be seen again with my name on it. So, take a good look, my friends! We'll see how everything pans out. -love- Desireé

naley4eva93- No, I appreciate an honest review much more than an exclamation of 'so good! ud soon' because it doesn't tell me if I need to fix anything. Although those reviews are sincere as well, it's nicer to hear what they also _didn't_ like. And, as it read above, there shall be some connection between Troy and Sharpay in honor of you. Yay! As for the couples I've selected… Well usually I'm used to a very subtle scene of Jelsi, so Ryelsi or Relsi or whatever is new to me, too. I guess I just wanted to try out something different for the time being. As for Troyella… I've fallen victim, and just seem I can't get out of the habit. Not that that's a bad thing for me, but I must stick to my origins. :)

PinkJelly- Ah, I'm so glad you caught this little hint of Harry Potter! My sister was watching the third one when I was writing that portion of the second part, and I was trying to think of a last name for Mademoiselle. Yes, so there's a little hint of Hermione Granger in my little fiveshot. :)

Part Three, The Rebellion

The whole scene was quite intriguing from a distance. In the back of the auditorium, one could stand and examine the actors: Kelsi, weeping quietly in the corner, with Ryan's arm around her. Sharpay sat in the middle of the platform, staring into the eyes of Chad. Gabriella and Troy were huddled over towards stage right, talking intimately while she played with his fingers. And, farther back, Taylor stood, crossly painting a giant Christmas tree with a very tiny paintbrush. They were all separated, defying Ms. Darbus' order (with the exception of Ms. McKessie), enchanted by the person sitting next to them.

"You're on the basketball team," Gabriella said quietly. Troy let his hands fall limp as she picked them up and examined them; he nodded. "I see your picture in the hallway."

When she looked up, his face was slightly red. "Oh, that. It's kind of embarrassing. I don't know why they have a big poster… The drama club probably deserves it more, anyway." She smiled.

"Modesty," the new girl mused, "I like that." He smiled.

"So you're the new girl," he said as she ran a finger along his knuckles. "Where did you live before?"

"San Francisco," Gabriella replied, huffing slightly. "But only for a few months. My mom moves us around a lot. She gets antsy about being in the same place after a while. Usually our stays only last no more than seven months, but I'll have graduated by then, so it looks like Albuquerque is going to have to get used to me for a while."

The way his bangs fell in front of his gorgeous blue oceans of eyes made her stomach twist. "Good," he said happily. "I have the feeling I'd take it pretty bad if you suddenly up and left." This made her stomach twist a little more.

Across the stage, Ryan was trying his best to get Kelsi to look at him. But it seemed she wouldn't, or at least couldn't; her hands were practically glued to her face, trying to soil the tears. "Um, I think your dad can understand," he attempted, hoping this would soothe some of her guilt. But the subtle way her shoulders shook didn't falter and he wondered what his fast-talking, witty sister would do in a situation like this.

Speaking of the devil, she was locked in an intense stare down with Chad. She silently admitted to herself she was actually enjoying herself—his gaze was penetrating, and she hadn't been weak about a guy like this in a long time. The last wild crush of hers had targeted a certain Troy Bolton, but she knew that ship had sailed far away, especially now that the new girl Gabriella was in the picture. Oh well. She didn't mind this Danforth boy.

"I'm hungry," Gabriella announced loudly, pulling herself up with the support of Troy. He played with her hair for a moment before she turned to him and mumbled something. He nodded, and Sharpay smiled. She remembered being that friendly with him. Gabriella asked if anyone wanted something from the vending machines. When no replied, she shrugged and skipped up the aisle, letting light burst through the auditorium for a second before the heavy metal door closed behind her.

There was a small playfulness in Chad's face as he leaned into Sharpay and asked, "Don't you have a dressing room around here somewhere?" She understood he didn't want _that_—not yet, at least. But, by his tone of voice, she knew he just wanted privacy. Nodding off towards the corner, she smiled.

"Third door. It's pink with my name written on it, so it should be hard to miss." He saluted her and she let herself giggle. Damn it. Sharpay had promised herself giggling deeply affected confidence, and not in a good way. Still, Chad waved and disappeared from sight, knowing she'd follow him eventually. But she had one thing to do before anything else.

The way he stared after her, the small concentration he focused on the door, as if hoping it would open again and let her through, made Sharpay laughed. Troy glanced at her with an irritated air about him, and the drama queen smirked. "You like her," she whispered into his ear, circling him for a moment.

"What?" He looked worried. "No, I don't like—"

"Ah, so you play with everyone's hair?" she inquired, curling a lock of golden sunshine around her pinky. Troy didn't reply. Sharpay felt herself glow with pride. "It's amusing. Only a few months ago, I was daintily promenading after you. And now you're, quite gracelessly, promenading after the new girl." She took a moment to watch what he would do, whether it would be bursting out in a lapse of anger or confessing that he was _indeed_ in love with Gabriella. "You think she's pretty?"

"Sharpay—"

"I would assume the basketball hotshot could answer a simple question," she replied in a huffy tone, "although I was wrong about a lot of things when it came to you." Her mind flashed back to their first and only kiss, under the porch light of the Evans estate. To her surprise, there was no spark when their lips pressed together, barely moving at all before she withdrew. He hadn't seemed hurt. "So do you think she's pretty?"

Realizing she wouldn't give up, Troy stubbornly sighed. "I think she's _cute_," he answered grimly.

"Yeesh," Sharpay replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder once more. "Could have fooled me."

She knew this would bother him. "What do you mean?" Bingo.

"Well, you don't seem too into her. And every girl knows it's rule numero uno that you can't just waltz off to get food—at an unhealthy _vending machine_ no less—when there's a guy around. Males can't see you eat; it's just a perfectly well known fact. Maybe she picked up a bad vibe from you and looked for a way to duck out of it," she replied.

They both waited, looking at the other with a glowering determination. "Well, you like Chad," he retorted, in a voice that suggested he wanted this to embarrass her.

But alas, a drama queen would never let such a thing happen. "So what if I do?" she asked, stepping closely to him. Their faces were inches apart, and she could smell what he had for breakfast. Toast, with jelly. Hm. "He's cute enough, in a jock kind of way. I am entitled to some fun, too, so why not?" She leaned a little closer, so he could practically taste the strawberry lip-gloss she had laid on her mouth only an hour before. Just as their lips were about to touch, she pulled away, smiling and giving a little wave before she flounced backstage. Gabriella trudged up the stage steps, carrying a pack of animal crackers. She furrowed an eyebrow.

"What was that all about?" she asked, looking at the doorway through which Sharpay had sauntered. In her head, Gabriella was thinking, Another bitch.

"Um, nothing," Troy said. He took a breath and pulled Gabriella toward him, watching her eyes until their lips met. His entire body set off like a firework, and she eased into his arms, her hands running along his jaw line, sliding around his neck as her tongue explored his mouth. She couldn't help but feel somewhat gleeful. Wasn't this a bad girl type of thing? Make out with a guy in detention? Being bad felt good, she decided. When they finally pulled away, he smiled. "I'm glad I got detention today."

"You're telling me," she replied, kissing him again. Being bad was _totally_ good.

…

The room hadn't been used for a week. Ms. Darbus had cancelled all rehearsals for the last five days due to some 'scheduling conflict.' Whatever that meant. Sharpay hadn't been listening. Instead, she had snuck her iPod Nano into her pocket and listened to the Peter Bjorn and John oldie 'Young Folks.' She liked the whistling.

"You've had a lot of admirers," Chad observed, picking up one of the many dead bouquets of flowers that sat beside the sofa. She nodded in the mirror, not bothering with a vocal response. "Any of them interesting enough?"

"Are the flowers all dead?"

"Yes."

"Well, there you go."

He smiled. "Would it be too soon to say I love you?"

She turned, standing up from her vanity stool and taking the dried roses from his hands carefully, avoiding any run-ins with thorns. "Yes," she told him with a smile, "much too soon."

…

Oh, she had been stupid. Very, very stupid. Taylor liked Chad well enough—he was cute and sometimes he could make her laugh in class. But her self-pride had overcome the common sense to accept his proposal, so now she was stuck, painting a wooden stand that was supposed to be a wrapped Christmas present from Santa Claus. Old Saint Nick had been marked off her list of important people a while back; it hadn't occurred to her that she was now the remaining person on that list.

Glancing over, she saw Kelsi and Ryan playing cards, specifically War. Ryan was winning by a landslide, but Kelsi seemed to be enjoying herself. Taylor envied her at that moment. She had to win all the time—how could Kelsi be such a gracious loser and simultaneously get a guy? "Some people have all the luck," she sighed to herself, dipping her brush in green paint. She wasn't aware she was on that list, too.

…

They made their way backstage as well, precariously avoiding Sharpay's room all while eyeing the closed door. Troy couldn't help but wonder as his tongue found Gabriella's mouth what exactly his best friend was doing with the drama queen at that moment. "God, this kissing this is incredible," the dark-haired girl gasped as he gently pushed her against the wall and let his lips fall against hers again. She let a soft moan escape her throat before her nails dug into the skin of his neck again. "I can't believe I totally skipped out on it the last few years."

He looked at her with some curiosity. "You mean you've never kissed a guy before?"

She laughed and smacked his shoulder. "No, stupid. I'm not _that_ naïve; I've had a few kisses in my day before. Just none too memorable. Not… Not intense like this one." They allowed the space between their mouths to evaporate as he smiled into the lip lock. She could sense his happiness and just let his hands work their way through her hair.

Down the hall, Sharpay sat on the sofa in her dressing room, watching Chad demonstrate some sequence in basketball that she would never remember. "This is useless," she complained. He frowned slightly. "Oh, honestly, Chad, I'm an _actress_. And we actresses don't need to know hot to execute a proper three-point throw or whatever it is you called it." Before he could correct her, she stood up and put a finger to his lips. She was surprised how soft they were. "Let's just sit for a little while, okay?"

He nodded, agreeing as she crawled onto his lap, her hair spilling a brilliant sunrise over his chest. "Still too soon?" he whispered quietly.

She wanted to say no, and that he could tell her he loved her all he wanted, but she nodded again. "Yes, still too soon."


	4. Part Four

A/N: Ah, it looks I've got some mixed feelings about my… -ahem- Story. The Troypay in the last chapter is the only seen here (sorry naley4eva93), as I intend only Chadpay and Troyella for this overall fiveshot. The S/T bit in the last chapter really only illustrated a small friendship between Sharpay and Troy. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! -love- Desireé

P.S. For any of the Wishful readers, I'm sorry I haven't updated recently. I've already written the epilogue, but I'm trying to get the other chapter (which will come next) going. Most of the scenes have been _re_written probably three or four times, so I'm trying to overcome the writer's block by tomorrow.

naley4eva93- Oh, I love how you made the 'still too soon' reference. I actually got that whole conversation bit from a book I'm borrowing from a friend right now. Chadpay is so addictive for me… As for the change in Gabriella, it's simply my eagerness to avert the 'shy, good girl who giggles a lot' image she so awfully gained in the sequel… She's my least favorite character in the second one, so I have made it a habit to alter her personality in my more recent stories.

PinkJelly- Don't worry, that's the last of present day Troypay!

polopopiinprepxx- As you can see, I've rewritten Gabriella's character and background quite a bit… (And, actually, the jelly bit was on accident… Haha. What a co-ink-y-dink.)

Fun Fact: Right now I'm watching _Jurassic Park_, courtesy of Netflix. I forgot how much I love this movie…

Part Four, The Discovery

Sometimes, you had to step outside yourself. That's what her mother always said; it was a sacrifice that would be good for some and bad for others. The only real outcome that mattered was you, and at that very moment, Gabriella liked the new person she had temporarily become. That was one good thing about being the new girl: you could start over any time you wanted, leading people to believe you were someone else entirely. She knew if she continued long enough, she would believe it, too.

They finally took a break as she unwrapped her legs from around his waist and he let her go, watching her slowly slide down to the floor, her back arched against the plaster. Troy took a seat beside her, his long legs pushed up against the opposite wall—the hallway was quite narrow. "I haven't done that in a long time," he said, inhaling and exhaling. Something about the way she glanced at him made him lose his breath.

"That would be the first time I've done something like that," she repeated, twiddling her thumbs as she stared at the floor. They both seemed awkward now, perhaps a little regretful of the very sudden make out session. But Gabriella still liked the person she was becoming. Being the quiet, shy bookworm got old after a while. "Hey, you want an animal cracker?" She realized she had stuffed the snack bag into her sweater pocket when Troy had first kissed her; her hand was extended in front of him, holding the crackers.

"Thanks," he replied. He took a hippo and bit into its head, munching quietly. She took a giraffe and broke its neck off, laying the piece on her tongue and savoring the sweetness before swallowing. Troy leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'm not like this usually," he told her quietly, his breath still swirling against her skin.

She smiled softly. "No, you're not," she replied with a delicate glimmer in her eyes, "I knew that already, I think."

…

"Sharpay—" the bushy-haired boy began. She silenced him with a raised hand and Chad obeyed, closing his mouth for what seemed like the tenth time. The drama queen grinned at him and straddled his lap, resting her hands on his shoulders. He raised an eyebrow. "Sharpay—"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Men don't understand what a raised hand and a stern look means," she sighed. "It means silence, which is the only thing that should be coming from you right now. Just, relax." She leaned into him, wondering just how much fun she was about to have. And as their lips connected, delicately at first, she knew it would be one the most incredible times of her young life.

…

The way Ryan looked at Kelsi made Taylor hate herself every few minutes. She was angry that she had lambasted Chad, especially as that had driven him to that disgusting excuse of a real woman. Ugh, how could an Evans get everything they wanted? When the earth was evolving, did anyone think to give a particular McKessie girl _some_ luck? _Something_ to look forward to when she woke up? Obviously not, but it's nice to dream.

One of the large metal doors in the back of the auditorium opened, light flooding the room for a moment before the door closed again. Taylor prepared herself for another round of ass-kissing, knowing Ms. Darbus would be furious that everyone else had blown off their responsibilities. "I warned them—" she began, but stopped short. Instead of a broad, blond woman, she spotted a young, wiry dark-haired boy casually walking down the aisle with a smile on his face.

"I don't mean to bother you on your, um—" The boy paused, examining Ryan and Kelsi for a moment before locking eyes with Taylor again. "Your _activities_, but I think I left my messenger bag somewhere around here. If I can just look…"

He said something else, too, but she didn't notice. He was just too… _Good-looking_. His face was chiseled like that of a Greek god's statue, and there was an inevitable happiness in his eyes that she also envied. "You all right?" he asked, and she blinked.

"What?" He stared at the paintbrush she held, which had dripped onto her carpis. Now two big acrylic green spots decorated the knee of the left pant leg. Great. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just um… Vamping up my style." Oh god, did she just say 'vamping up my style?' Someone shoot her, too.

"Ah," he said, nodding slightly as if this made any sense. "Well, I guess my bag isn't here but I've got another half hour until my ride comes. You need any help?"

He was offering her help. Take this, Taylor, she urged herself silently. Take this proposition and accept it. Don't think about your damn school studies, he's a gorgeous boy, _take it_. "Yeah, actually," she said with a smile. "I'm the only one who hasn't abandoned our detention punishment, so I guess an extra hand would be great."

Grabbing a paint brush, the boy came to stand beside her, humming a tune as he swished the brush back and forth. In an easy five minutes, he had covered the entire Christmas present in its appropriate green. "I'm Danny, by the way," he said to her with a smile.

"I'm Taylor," she responded, her lips curling into a grin equivalent to his. "I haven't seen you around here before, and I'm actually pretty active in the extra curriculum group."

"Oh, I'm actually a freshman in college. I'm just volunteering while I visit my mom here," he explained. "She's the district superintendent, and she wants me to kind of 'look over' the schools around here. East High's my last school, though. I go back to Harvard next week."

Her heart melted like a snow cone in the desert. "You go to Harvard?"

…

The tousled locks cascaded down to her shoulders, the bobby pins shaken from her bangs. Her blouse was unbuttoned just enough so not to reveal her bra, and his shirt was slightly twisted. "Wow," he whispered, sliding up behind her.

"I never expected detention to be so fun," she said dryly, although she felt like she was doing a bad job at concealing the thrill building inside her.

"Neither had I," he mumbled in response, withdrawing his arms around her shoulders. She turned and raised an eyebrow. Chad bit his lower lip. "What did I say?"

"You sound bored."

"I do _not_."

"Yeah, you do."

"Well, get your hearing checked, but _that_ most definitely was _not_ boring."

She grinned, and leaned into him. While the drama queen could see the slacker expect another kiss, she shook her head. "We should get back to the auditorium," she whispered, glancing at the pink alarm clock on the coffee table. "It's five-thirty."

"Darbus won't be here for another hour."

"Exactly." She gave him a quick peck on the lips and skipped out the door, perfecting the plan of leaving Chad wanting more.

…

"Aren't you, um, supposed to be the golden boy of East High?" Gabriella asked. She was still sitting in the back hallway with Troy, and they had been staring at the same ant on the wall for ten minutes now. The question surprised him a little, and then it embarrassed him. A reputation like that wasn't so flattering.

"Yeah," he replied, and then bit his lip in regret. "I mean, I guess… The team counts on me for a surefire win, but it's not like I'm a…"

"An It Boy?" she proffered with a soft giggle. He smiled weakly. It Boy? That was what they were calling him now? Pass the barf bag. Gabriella drummed her fingers on his knee. "What I'm trying to say is… Why are you hanging out with a girl like me?"

He glimpsed at her. "You're… cool?" he guessed. She sighed softly and shook her head.

"No, that's not what I mean," she explained, tapping his knee again. A shock shot through his body. Reflexes, he decided. "I mean—it seems like you're a really nice guy and you can get any girl you want. I was thinking Sharpay was more your type… No offense. But she's popular, right? I'm… new. And kind of shy."

A laugh from him surprised her. "Could have fooled me," he replied, quoting the drama queen. "No, I guess I do have a rep for being the guy who can get whatever he wants. But I told you I don't do this very often. It was the truth." She smiled softly.

"Let's get back out there," she said. "It's a quarter to six."

…

A dreamy look floated in Taylor's eyes. Sharpay put her hand on her hips. "What's got you all wound up?" she slurred, squinting. "You look like you just met Brad Pitt."

"Ugh," Taylor replied, snapping out of her quixotic state. "I'm a George Clooney girl, actually." Sharpay rolled her eyes. "I've just met the most incredible boy and he's a college freshman at Harvard and he's actually smart—" At this, she glared Chad's way. "And he's nice!"

"Sorry I asked," Sharpay sighed, turning away to look at the slacker boy standing beside her. Chad grinned, and heard Taylor scoff. "So, Monsieur Danforth, do you have any ideas what we can do for the next half hour?"

He moistened his lips with his tongue. "I've got a few things in mind," he said slyly.

"Things _appropriate_ for a very big room filled with other people," she corrected herself. Chad frowned, and Sharpay shrugged lightly, kissing him again. Maybe the afternoon was worth going home and changing. She _did_ look quite good in skinny jeans.


	5. Part Five

A/N: Okay, we have a long author's note. I'm sorry this took a while, I got angst cravings and wrote 'At Midnight' and 'The Trapeze Swinger.' (They're oneshots, that's why I put them in single quotes.) 'Midnight' is Troy/Sharpay friendship… Sort of. And 'Swinger' is Troy/Gabriella future. I didn't do very well with 'Midnight' I don't think, so maybe I'll delete it and rework it, but I didn't mind 'Swinger.'

Next… I noticed I ended parts two, three, and four with Chadpay. Whoops. :) Anyway, I understand the Troy/Sharpay has caused some pandemonium, but can't we all just get along? Haha, sorry guys. I understand some liked the friendship, others didn't, but look at it this way: that's the end of it! Maybe one day I'll get into a habit of writing Troy/Sharpay friendships, but only if I feel I can manage. But until then, you've got this! -love- Desireé

naley4eva93- I've already got some Troypay friendship stirring in my head. I posted one just a few hours ago, although it's somewhat depressing, as read above 'Midnight.' I'm struggling to come up with happiness right now, so hopefully this final part will come out well.

Part Five, The Fight

It wasn't meant to go anywhere. To each of them, it was supposed to be just a fun afternoon, something to pass the time they were supposed to spend painting. But Sharpay found her plan had been reversed, and she actually wanted to see Chad again. They sat in the corner of the stage, toward the extra props and clothing.

"I'm a drama queen," she said as she spread her arms across his lap, "and you're a basketball halfwit—oh, don't give me that look. What I'm saying is I shouldn't be looking forward to Monday, when I'll see you again."

The smirk across his mouth made her roll her eyes. "When?" Chad asked.

"Lest you suddenly go on a foreign exchange program over the weekend," she replied, as he brushed her bangs aside.

"I can't speak a word of Spanish, and Señora Reyes has taught me for six whole semesters. Granted I skipped about half of those classes, but the only things I've remembered are _hola_ and _gato_."

She smiled. "Well, glad you're staying here, then. It was getting dull around here."

…

The imaginary East High gossip magazine was buzzing with news. Basketball star falls in love? New girl finds romance at new school? Where is this going? Is it even going somewhere? How is the team taking it? Will their hotshot fall for a girl and fall on the court? The titles spun through her mind, like woven threads in fabric. She was playing with his hands again, pressing her thumb into the center of his palm as he watched. "You're a really good kisser," he said finally. She heard a grunt and looked up. Taylor was glaring at them.

"Really?" Gabriella asked, ignoring the menacing stare. She looked at her own palm: four lines beneath her thumb. There was always that legend in grade school that however many lines you had was how many kids you would have. One, two, three, four. Tell me that you love me more. "Well you're an amazing one." She smiled and closed her eyes. The way he tasted still dance inside her mouth, and she could still smell the faint cologne on his shoulders.

Unlike Chad and Sharpay, neither really expected this to go much anywhere. But Troy wanted to talk to her again, come Monday, and she wanted him to want to talk to her. "What are you doing tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Hanging out with you," she replied boldly. He grinned and leaned against her, nudging her slightly. She nudged back, and he kissed her. Detention was fun.

…

It was six-oh-eight. Ms. Darbus would be here soon. "Well, this has been a treat," Sharpay announced, standing up to brush off her blouse. "But it's late, and if Ryan and I leave now, we successfully avoid the Beast named Darbus. So, lovely to meet you, lovely to see you, lovely to kiss you, and have a great weekend." She started for her brother, sauntering impressively across the stage in heels, before Taylor stopped her.

"First you skip out on the work, and now you just skip out on the punishment? I'm not going to let that happen," she snapped, clasping a paint brush in her hand.

"Shar, it's cool," Ryan said quickly, coming to stand beside Taylor, looking apprehensively at his sister. "We can just tell Ms. Darbus we're sorry and we'll just give an extra credit assignment next week. Relax, sis."

The drama queen scowled at her twin. "Ew, Ryan, don't go all goody two shoes on me." Taylor grimaced and looked away for a moment, toward the doors in back.

"Fine," she surrendered. "Be a pampered little brat and leave the rest of us to get our backs whipped." She grinded her teeth and turned away, leaving a furious Sharpay.

"Don't call me pampered!" she shouted, balling up her fists. "I've got just as much crap to deal with as you so you have no right to call me pampered or spoiled or any other freaking synonym that pops up in your swollen brain!"

The room was quiet now. Taylor turned on a heel and raised an eyebrow. "Swollen? As opposed to your boxy little head?" she insulted. Sharpay's mouth was a straight line. She picked up a paint brush, but Taylor was too quick. In a moment's time, green paint flew across the room and splattered on the drama queen's designer outfit. A shriek was let out through the auditorium and Gabriella's hands flew to her ears.

"Two can play at this game!" Sharpay declared, and she picked up a half empty bucket, swinging it in Taylor's direction. The second girl ducked and purple splotches appeared on Kelsi's sweater. The lyricist gasped, before joining in on the fight. The blond drama queen shouted, "I'm always victorious!" And she poured a royal blue dye across the stage, splashing Gabriella's pants.

"Hey!" the new girl objected. She stood up, but felt a spray on her back. Turning around, she saw the slacker boy Chad grinning at her, holding a dripping red paint brush. Troy looked amused from afar, and Gabriella rolled her eyes, yanking up a bucket for herself and spilling it across Sharpay's shoulders.

Another scream. A laugh. Some shouts and Ryan charged for Kelsi, flinging yellow paint at her hair. Two big spots of orange formed on Troy's jeans, and he smirked at Gabriella, chasing after her with silver brushes. Chad's bushy hair was now a vibrant turquoise, and Sharpay smiled up at him before drawing a pink stripe down his shirt. Taylor grimaced and shouted for them all to stop. But they couldn't hear, and instead only yelled and laughed and ran around until a flood of light burst through the room again, and their bodies froze.

"Bolton! Danforth! Evans! Evans! McKessie! Montez! Nielsen! Just what do you think you all are doing?" Ms. Darbus demanded angrily, stomping down the aisle.

The colorful seven on stage all blushed, before looking around. Paint streaked the walls and floor, and especially the props. The dreidel was green and pink, the Christmas present was blue and brown and black, and a Santa Claus in the corner reeked of orange. Suddenly, someone burst out laughing. All turned to see Taylor, who had been glowering up until this point. She clutched her sides, dropping her paint brush, and collapsed onto the ground, hysteria floating from her mouth. Suddenly, Gabriella was laughing, too, and so was Troy, and eventually, the entire detention class. Ms. Darbus was blistering. "You think this is all funny!" she roared. "Well! I'll see you all next Monday, after school, and see just how hilarious it is when you try to get the paint off the floor!"

Gabriella looked at Troy. "I don't think I'll mind another detention," she murmured quietly. He shook his head.

Chad glanced at Sharpay. "Looks like I can't go on a foreign exchange program now," he said. She smiled.

Kelsi suddenly kissed Ryan, her purple lips smudging his. Everyone hollered and Ms. Darbus screeched, "Out of my theater! _Now!_"

One by one, the new girl, the hotshot, the slacker, the valedictorian, the drama queen, the thespian, and the lyricist walked up the aisles, grinning to themselves. The teacher yelled after them, "And don't believe for one second that your next punishment will be as fun as this!" Silently, they all doubted it.

A/N: Hm. I had trouble writing this (it's been revised a few times) but I think I liked the outcome. This should be the last update until the grand re-publishing of Poster Child, so until then, _au revoir_! -love- Desireé


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